I’m a big believer that you should practise what you preach, which is why I make time in my own wedding copywriter marketing schedule to create blog posts for wedding venues and vendors like you. And I’m especially excited about this post in particular, because today we’re celebrating the immense success of Laura Devine and her wedding planning business, Devine Bride.

I first met Laura in my former life working for a national wedding magazine, when I wrote a feature about her beautiful metalworks wedding. Since then, Laura has launched her now award-winning wedding planning business, racked up a host of press features and become my go-to expert for planning features.

So, just how did she take her wedding planning business from start-up to success?

Image: amandakarenphotography.co.uk

What inspired you to launch Devine Bride?

“The lack of on-demand and flexible yet creative wedding planners who were upfront about their costs. I searched for something like this when I was planning my own wedding, but I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for – so I just did everything myself! I started a blog first to test the water… and the rest is history!”

What does pick-and-mix planning bring to today’s couples?

“It offers a much more flexible, and creative, way for couples to plan their big day. Couples can pick and choose exactly what elements they need help with, from assistance with selected parts as a consultant to a more ad-hoc basis.

My vision is to make wedding planning accessible and flexible. I offer creative solutions to planning and budgeting in the form of wedding tasking, styling and coordination. I offer a variety of different helping hand services, including but not limited to; Styling + Set Up, On the Day Coordination, Partial Planning, and Hire a Bridesmaid.”

Your blog has always been a big part of your wedding planning business. Was that a conscious decision? What was your inspiration?

“My blog is how I started Devine Bride in the first place. It’s very important to me to show my personality and my brand to my clients, show off the real weddings I’ve worked on, and to share my stories and advice.

I have always been inspired by real weddings and real stories, which I wanted to share with the view to helping other brides. This then led on to me helping brides plan their wedding! I love helping people and generally being useful, that’s at the heart of my blog and my wedding planning business.”

What was involved in setting up your blog – can anyone do it?

“If I can, anyone can! I’m not techy at all so I used as much free help as I could find on Google! Anything I didn’t know, I Googled! I started off on Blogger, then migrated to WordPress about a year and a half ago. I would highly recommend WordPress. A blog takes a lot of commitment though. You have to love your subject (for me it’s weddings) and be completely dedicated to it. It’s taken years and most weekends of the last few years to set it up and keep it going, but I enjoyed doing it and learning along the way.

I used to blog twice a week when I was initially trying to drum up business and drive traffic to my site, but now I only blog once a week and this works well for me in between my busy wedding and event schedule, although I have help to run it now. (I couldn’t blog weekly if I didn’t have help though! It doesn’t make me any money, but the client engagement and SEO benefits are priceless).”

Where do you find inspiration for blog posts?

“Instagram. That’s the easiest and most important place for me to see what my brides are talking about, where they’re going, what they’re buying and what quandaries they’re experiencing, as well as what’s trending in the wider wedding market, including new releases and events.”

How does your blog benefit your business?

“I use my blog to tap into my ideal client and what they like. My blog is my way to continually keep my clients and (more importantly) potential clients engaged, and to continuously drive traffic to my website.

I look at it like changing the front window display of your shop (I have my blog feed on my homepage). You wouldn’t leave this the same all year round, with the same dresses, would you? My blog also gives me more valuable and varied content to share on my social channels.”

Image: parrotandpineapple.com

You’ve had an impressive range of press features and guest articles published by wedding blogs and magazines. How have these helped your business?

“It gives me content to share but has also proven great for SEO, as well as getting a badge or sticker from the press or publication to display on my website. These make you look more professional to clients. It gives them a bit more belief in you that you’re a credible wedding supplier.”

If you had to choose just one golden content rule for wedding businesses, what would it be and why?

“Content-wise, whether it is a blog or social media, it’s important to stick to it and be consistent – with your brand, message and images. You don’t have to blog weekly, but monthly or bi-weekly would be a great start. You really do reap what you sow where content is concerned!”

Do you have any words of wisdom to share with wedding vendors who are just getting started?

“There are no mistakes, you just have to keep trying until you find what works for you! That said, I wish I’d been slightly more SEO-wise when I started. However, in general, and this goes for blogging and social media, try not to be too self-indulgent. Try to use your blog and social media to offer added value to your clients and potential clients.”

Whether your wedding planning business is established or newly launched, publishing the right content on your blog and social media channels is an essential step to reaching and connecting with couples you’d like to work with.

Laura has achieved incredible results as a result of a consistent content strategy. Now, you’ll find her working on some of the most exciting weddings and with some of the coolest venues around.

But don’t feel that you need to master every element of wedding copywriting to do the same. Laura is right when she says the key is consistency.

Set yourself a goal to publish an on-brand blog post as often as your schedule allows. And if you’re short on time and want some help, check out my flexible blog writing and proof-reading services for wedding vendors.

Hi, I’m Lauren, a freelance blog editor, content writer and magazine journalist who doesn’t simply specialise in lifestyle niches. I specialise in lifestyle content that delivers results for the blogs and businesses I work with. Ready to become one of them?